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National Sports Forum spurs talk on venues, sponsorship, more

I recently was a judge at the National Sports Forum’s 2012 Case Cup competition, involving eight MBA sports management programs. The case this year was to elevate interest, attendance and ratings around an NCAA championship event outside of the men’s basketball tournament. Each group had 24 hours to develop its findings, and the presentations by all the students were exemplary. It’s an educational day watching them tout their ideas and solutions.

This year’s winning team, from Ohio University, won as much for offering the “big idea” as it did for detailed strategy and activation. The idea has been bandied about for years, combining the men’s and women’s Final Four into one basketball “weekend mecca,” a center stage of collegiate basketball excellence. The Ohio University team didn’t offer this naïvely; the students outlined the challenges and the constituencies opposed to this idea. The case they made was so compelling that it would make any longtime opponent at least rethink the possibility.

I understand where many of the coaches, on both sides of the bench, would oppose this idea. I understand the logistical and cultural challenges, as well. But if you think of possible target markets — Houston, Indianapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, St. Louis, for example — where the men could play in a stadium and “in the round,” while the women play at a big league standard arena in the same city, in a city with enough hotel rooms, combining media resources, sponsorship activation and fan festivals, it sounded more and more compelling — and possible. Even though the Final Four sites have been determined through 2016, here’s hoping the students get a chance to present their idea to the NCAA in Indianapolis. Perhaps it’s an idea ready for a fresh look.

The Case Cup also reminded me of a point one top TV executive involved in collegiate sports expressed recently when asked what he spends a lot of time thinking about. He said: “What sport is going to be the next big college sport, after football and men’s basketball? That’s what I’m really trying to figure out.”

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Talking to one team president recently reaffirmed the thought that one of the biggest issues facing sports teams, leagues and venues is constant connectivity. More and more fans are feeling discouraged from their in-venue experience when it comes to accessing stats, data, photos and video from their smartphones. It’s such a vital part of the personal experience now that fans expect quick connectivity, and they become understandably frustrated when they don’t have that at a sports event. It’s a complex issue. Older buildings aren’t fully equipped. Who owns the building can be a factor, as well as what carriers are in the market and willing to pay for “space.”

In the next few weeks, SportsBusiness Journal will be taking a closer look at the problem and possible solutions, so if you have a story to share, contact us.

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A number of takeaways from a new corporate and industry survey, which featured research responses from 50 sports sponsors/advertisers and 50 properties, released at the National Sports Forum by Ohio University and GMR Marketing. Greg Busch, GMR’s executive vice president of client management, said that after analyzing the research, he was “cautiously optimistic” about the state of sponsorship spending going forward. “The first wave we will see will be a reinvestment in activation rather than in acquiring new properties,” Busch said. In addition, he said brands will be going with “fewer, bigger and better partnerships, but there will be additional investments in the long run if brands find the right property.”

Some other facts of note: 92 percent of brand marketers plan to spend an equal amount or more in 2012 compared with last year, and areas of sponsorship growth are college and high school sports. From the not surprising figures: Brands will be greatly increasing their spending on digital, social and mobile marketing. For me, a surprise was that social media was ranked third highest when brands were asked what they wanted in their sponsorship packages. Some would argue that social media integration is an activation, not a want, like exclusivity or player interaction or experiential/access elements. But, the fact that it is third on the list says a lot about its importance in today’s mix.

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A discussion of top team ticketing executives showed that influencer events continue to be a strong sales and retention tool. One executive stressed that teams today need to do a better job of becoming part of consumers’ lifestyles and follow those interests whether that means creating events around food/entertaining/cooking, leadership, social events for families, or any type of event that offers a new experience. These events can offer significant value for current and prospective fans.

Another executive stressed that his organization is taking a long look at how to build value into being a season-ticket holder, believing that many properties in sports have done a poor job of what they are actually selling. “We are selling a social experience,” the executive said. “Not a game. There is so much more to it and we need to do a better job telling that story.” Another executive chimed in on the frustrations of highlight and statistical limitations within a venue during a live event. “We shouldn’t be having fans pay money to be at an event and have far less information than someone does 100 miles away.”

As always, please let us know if you have your own questions, thoughts or comments on any of the above.

Abraham D. Madkour can be reached at amadkour@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

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